“He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30) This simple statement from John the Baptist is one of the essential keys to understanding true spiritual maturity.
Too often, we think that “growing in Christ” means accumulating theological knowledge, knowing the Bible better, understanding complex doctrinal concepts, or multiplying spiritual experiences. Although these aspects may have their importance, they are not in themselves the true measure of Christian maturity.
Spiritual growth, from a biblical perspective, consists above all in letting Christ take up more and more space in our thoughts, attitudes, words and actions. The apostle Paul expresses this truth when he says: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). This statement echoes John the Baptist’s: for Jesus to take His full place, our “self” must fade away.
Spiritual maturity is therefore recognized more in character than in intellectual knowledge. Paul urges believers to attain “unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). Here, the “fullness of Christ” is not limited to biblical scholarship, but shows itself in an inner transformation, reflecting the gentleness, humility, love, patience, mercy and justice that characterize the Lord.
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,”
1 Peter 2:2 NIV
It is also important to distinguish between being “childish” and being “like a child.” Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me” (Matthew 19:14), inviting us to humble trust, sincere dependence and simplicity of heart. But being “childish” in faith means staying centered on oneself, on one’s own needs, desires and ambitions, without pursuing the growth in Christ that leads to maturity. Being “like a child” is not the same as being infantile, but means purity of humility and surrender into the Father’s hands.
In short, the ultimate measure of spiritual growth is not the volume of knowledge accumulated, but the degree to which our “self” fades before the Lordship of Christ. Spiritual maturity is a path of humility, obedience and transformation, where every day “He becomes greater, and we become less,” so that His life may be visible in us and through us.
